Stupid Question On Ea81 Motors? Teach Me Masters...

[cole098]

Sirs, I understand there are two different types of EA81 motors. one is a Hydralic Lifter motor and the other is???????

 

what is the difference and which one is a better motor???? as far as performance and maintenance???? Thanks Oh Great Subie Masters........................

[archemitis]

no claim to masterdom here, but...

every motor i get with hydrolic lifters, ends up ticking on me. im not sure how it goes, but i think they got hydrolics after 84?(sorry if im wrong)or during, and they also got bigger valves around this point.

so i think usually solid lifters means you prolly got smaller valves? and the hydro motors, mostly had the bigger valves.

the hydros adjust them selves, so you never have to adjust valves.

i want a solid lifter motor with the bigger valves and a brat cam.

[Qman]

A little history.

 

The first hydraulic motors appeared in 1983. US Open market anyway. They were mated to automatics. The EA81T's were also hydraulic. In 1985, these hydraulic motors were installed in all EA81 applications, ie, Hatches and Brats. The first benefits are that you do not need to adjust the valves every 10K miles. Other benefits include bigger valves in the heads(better flow ?) (Less maintenance for the owner).

 

All of the parts are interchangable. I have built motors using solid lifter blocks and hydraulic heads and big cams and pure hydraulic set ups with big cams.

 

EA81 weren't the only hydraulics though. JDM 1600's also came with hydraulic lifters. I don't know what requirements were but I know some had them.

 

Solid lift tends to be better for pure performance but the technology has come so far in the last 10 yrs that anything can be made to perform and be reliable.